Innovative Boardwalk in Inner London

Here at TC we love unique, fun and innovative ways of reinventing everyday spaces. Bankside, London has achieved this through successfully improving its pedestrian experience by constructing a playful extension to the area’s footpath. The modular walkway creates a colourful addition to the current monochromatic urban space, brightening up the experience for the area’s pedestrians.

Lavington Street boardwalk, London.

Pathway Activation has been a popular action to repurpose and reinvent spaces all over the world in recent years. Just like Steer Davies Gleave in London, students attending George Westinghouse High School in Brooklyn, New York were passionate about brightening up their concrete jungle. With the help of their local school community, students were able to transform the space from bland to bling through the addition of temporary colourful bench seats, milk carton garden beds and greenwall made from recycled materials.

Space activation in Brooklyn, New York by George Westinghouse High School.

See more here. 

Images courtesy of Steer Davies Gleave and George Westinghouse High School. 

An interview with Mikael Colville-Andersen

Mikael Colville-Andersen has been dubbed the ‘rock star of urbanism’, 'the modern day Jane Jacobs' and the man who 'launched a million bicycles’. Simply, he’s a dude who loves moving around his city by foot and by bike, and he wants people across the globe to share that same enjoyment.

I recently chatted with Mikael about Copenhagenize Design Company, how neighbourhoods can become more people-oriented, and the current progress towards - what he calls - 'life-sized cities', across both the northern and southern hemispheres.

A few insights from his work around the globe include:

• "Cities in China... they embraced the automobile over the past 15 years and now they're paying the price for that. Now Shanghai is putting in Copenhagen-style cycle-tracks. The Chinese can do that."
• "India... they still don't know what they're doing."
• "When you have Paris just in the course of 12 years... putting in infrastructure, bike share, traffic calming, taking out some expressways along the river. There's people who are doing it and as soon as you have a big city doing it - other cities will follow."
• "Australian cities are farther behind than any other city in the industrialised world... When there are American cities ahead of you in terms of bicycle infrastructure - you suck. You suck really bad!"

Giving us some idea about what's in store for the future, Mikael tells us that he will soon be heading back into the world of film making. This time however, he has a message to spread. And this time, he will be on the other side of the lens.

Check out the full interview below.

Visit Copenhagen with Instagram

Cycling on Bryggebroen Bridge, Copenhagen. Image courtesy of @visitcopenhagen.

Here at TC we love Instagram. So much so our website design was even inspired by it's grid format.

For us, Instagram is a digital window into the soul of a city. It captures the moments that make our everyday lives extraordinary and highlight the very best of our favourite places.

It's also the perfect platform for marketing place to visitors (and locals). While in the past, cities could rely on their thousand (or even million) Instagram users to promote events, initiatives, great architecture or the best cafes, Governments are now taking charge and creating high impact, and well managed Instagram accounts.

One search, or stumble onto, the VisitCopenhagen account and you're hooked! The street life, the colours, the sunsets, the view, and every other moment captures, adds up to showcase the various faces of one of the world's most liveable cities.

The account is managed by the official Tourism Organisation for the Captial Region of Denmark and stresses that it is "An #iphoneonly look at Copenhagen" which should please Instagram purists. They have got this one right!

See more of their great images here and if you've visited Copenhagen recently let us know if they've got the vibe right?

Also read about Instagram in North Korea here.

---

"Instagram provides a human touch to a digital sphere and is the perfect antithesis to an often over commercialised tourism campaign."  - @John_OCal

---

Reshaping the Shoebox: The Milan Furniture Fair

by Natalia Krslovic.

Image courtesy of Natalia Krslovic.

Leaving Australia for a yearlong adventure in Italy calls for a few lifestyle changes: it’s no longer acceptable – or climatically plausible – to wear havaianas (our national flip flops) in public. Italian juice bars – or lack there of – aren’t satisfying my cravings for a passion mango boost juice, and my diminishing supply of Luca’s Papaw Ointment is starting to make me sweat.  

But one of the biggest adjustments I’ve had to make in the Belpaese (the beautiful country) is in regards to spatiality; that is, the norms surrounding how physical space is utilised, and how I myself occupy space. In other words, people here live in shoeboxes, and I’ve just had to get used to it.

Of course this adjustment is to be expected living in Italy – where more than triple the population of Australia lives in about 4% of Australia’s geographic space – so it’s no surprise that high-density living is the norm here. With urban sprawl becoming a growing problem in Australian cities, and gentrification making inner city areas less affordable, this compact Italian lifestyle is probably one Australians will have to adapt to in the not-so-distant future (cc Green Square).

However, one of the social ramifications of this kind of urbanization is, paradoxically, that many people become socially isolated from one another (Tönnies 1887; Durkheim 1893; Simmel 1903). That is, essentially, when we live, work, eat, sleep and play on top of millions of strangers, we can become socialised into ignoring each other, and we never really get to know the neighbour living in the shoebox next to ours.

So what role can art and design play in creating communities under these conditions? 

Image courtesy of Natalia Krslovic.

On a trip to Milan this week, I was able to see the Salone Internazionale del Mobile di Milano, or the Milan International Furniture Fair. This event not only showcases the best the world has to offer in terms of furniture, industrial and spatial design, but also cleverly utilities the minimal public space available in this metropolis, in a way that’s conducive to creating new social interactions.

Image courtesy of Natalia Krslovic.

The Navigli District of Milan is home to the two navigli, or canals, of Milan, which once served as transport and trade routes to the Ticino River, are now home to restaurants, bars and nightlife venues. Comparable to King Street in Newtown, with its cafes and shop fronts competing for sidewalk and foot traffic, as the banks of these canals are spatially poor, the Furniture Fair saw exhibition tents set up on barges on the canals themselves, creating floating spaces.

Image courtesy of Natalia Krslovic.

In true Italian fashion, while the installation of the barges happened overnight, it took half the week for the actual contents of the exhibitions to be installed. That is, precisely half of the running time of the Fair itself. However, this provided opportunity for visitors and locals alike to inquire about what was happening in the area, and to engage with the designers and reps from the exhibiting manufacturers. I actually saw an old lady stop an aerosol artist while he was painting a mural on one of the barges, just to ask about his work. And, like Italians do, they launched into a conversation like they were old friends.

It’s these kinds of interactions that span across generations and sub-cultural groups, which flourish during public festivals: because, well, they make room for them, in both the physical and metaphysical sense.

Re-imagining public spaces also breathes fresh life into underutilised areas. The Laminam show at the Orto Botanico di Brera, or the Botanical Garden of Brera, employed Laminam coloured ceramic slabs to create what looked like sculptural installations throughout the garden. Moving from rich, blue jewel tones at one end of the park, through to a more neutral, earthly palette on the opposite side, not only structured the exhibition into smaller, rectangular spaces – which seemed quite like the layout of rooms in a house – but also dictated the energy and dynamism of the particular space you were in; the blues calling for visitors to walk around and view the garden beds, while the earthy browns lead to an open seating area, which allowed visitors a chance to sit, rest and mingle. In this way, they gave a certain functionality and purpose to the distinct areas, turning the often-vacant park into a natural oasis amid a concrete jungle.

The feeling was really as though I’d been transported to a manor in the Lombardian countryside. I mustn’t have been the only one who felt that, as other members of the public were capitalising on having a quiet haven to their disposal, with many sitting on comfortable sofas chatting amongst friends and strangers, while others had returned for a second visit, armed and ready with novels to read in a peaceful corner.

While I’m no expert on Milan or the Milanese, it seemed like the Fair was successful in getting people out of their usual patterns to interact with their city – and most importantly, with each other – in a more communal way. Though maybe they were just keen for a chance to get out of their shoeboxes.

---

The Milan International Furniture Fair is an annual event happening right now (from April 8 – 13) in various locations around Milan. For more information, check out the Official website here.

Not just for hipsters: how East London street art is helping the homeless

The quickly gentrifying Shoreditch and Dalston are London’s most famous street art hotspots.

Every week hundreds of tourists flock to the neighbourhoods to find the next Banksy, ROA or Stik, or even undertake one of the famous East London Graffiti tours. Recently however, I’ve begun to notice a new style of street art popping up in the streets behind Brick Lane – one with a slighty deeper and even darker undertone. Upon further investigation, it seems that these pieces have the capacity to impact the aesthetic environment, but can have a positive influence on London’s homeless community as well.

Depaul UK, a national service to help young people who are homeless, vulnerable and disadvantaged, has teamed up with a group of graffiti artists that tells young people’s stories. The initiative called, ‘Don’t let their stories end on the streets’ aims to support Depaul UK’s ongoing work with homelessness.

The pieces were created for free by artists Ben Slow, David Shillinglaw, Best Ever, Josh Jeavons and Jim McElvaney with each one telling a tragic tale of how each homeless person fell into their current situation.In addition to the street art, the campaign involves a ‘digital wall’, which features artworks online. As these artworks are purchased from the site, digital wall will be ‘cleaned’ - beautifully symbolising the fact that by donating, homeless people’s stories will be removed from the street.

This is an incredible example of street art activism, enabling artists to sell creative pieces and Depaul UK to raise its voice and fundraising campaign. Next time you hear somebody say that East London’s graff scene is just for hipsters, tell them to check out this site for a more colourful perspective.

Images courtesy The Creative Review

Our Urban Soil

by Guest Contributor, Tom Boyden.

Image courtesy of Tom Boyden.

People are starting to tune in to the idea of farming in the city. A movement is a brewing. Those that rely on the benefits of urban farming have been growing food as a means to obtain affordable and healthy food, build community and slow the food desertification of our cities.

It’s still trending, hard. What’s going to bring urban farming from the 'cool thing to do', to the thing we need to do?

It won’t transition from a cool trend to a necessity through designer chicken houses or DIY mushroom kits at 30 bucks a pop. The transition could be spurred through gardening with neighbors, young and old, of any background, sharing meals and recipes, and saving seeds, soil, and bees. Beginning to garden in an urban area connects a large amount of people with the source of their food, strengthening the fleeting connection that has strayed as of late. In a sea of concrete and lush lawns, often times we forget about the very foundation of the health of our society; soil.

Image courtesy of Tom Boyden.

I cycled 5000 miles guerilla gardening, trading seeds and working with organic and urban farmers in 9 countries. I filmed everything with the idea that I’d make a 3 minute action movie to get people thinking about our soil and the huge part it plays in the sustainability of our cities. The development of hydroponics and aquaponics is quickening at a rapid pace, but we’re not ready to solely subsist off this type of growing. Not because the technology is not there, it’s a societal shift in thinking that would lead to vertical farming in cities and greenhouses on every grocery store. For now, to live well, we need our soil.

What can you do?

That empty lot you’ve been spying on - throw a seed bomb and watch it flourish.

The lawns that folks have been perfecting for a few decades - take just 10%, and grow some food.

An empty rooftop of your apartment building - put a few recycled buckets of herbs up there and start a kitchen garden.

These are huge steps that involved little investment. You don’t need a brand new pot to grow some tasty vittles, just a bucket acquired from a local restaurant. Maybe you’ll get lucky and enjoy the stale, vinegary scent of an old pickle bucket.

Throughout my trip, I planted at famous tourist sites like the Eiffel Tower and Buckingham Palace. It’s living graffiti and I expect grandmother’s in garden clubs are as addicted as I am to this adrenaline rush from growing. Maybe they prefer roses to a strawberry plant, just a different flavored drug.

Soil is a huge part of the rural ecosystem and it is very much an indicator of the health of our urban ecosystem. We’re not taking care of it as well as we should and we need to act now, there is no later.

Get a bike, some seeds, and let’s paint the city green.

Watch a video of Urban Agriculture below - the first of a three part series.

Bright ideas in UK towns

The UK isn’t the sunniest place on earth… Far from it! But that small little fact doesn’t mean that European cities aren’t able to make use of the incredible energy of the sun.

Urban authorities are increasingly tapping into the vast, yet underutilised energy resource from above to power their public utilities. There are three processes occurring simultaneously that are allowing this shift to occur.

Firstly, urban energy-use is increasing, but so is the pressure to wean cities off ghastly fossil fuels. Whether its pressure from ‘the powers above’, the idea that residents ‘vote with their feet’ or the increasing costs of energy usage (…or perhaps even simply good environmental ethics!), local authorities are attempting to lead by example by switching to renewable sources when possible.

Secondly, as populations grow, so does the vulnerability of already fragile urban energy grid networks. To minimise the risk of public utilities coming to a complete crash in the event of a crisis, governments know just how important to move towards small-scale, localised energy generation.

Image: Tom Payne

Last but not least, renewable technologies are very quickly improving to become very competitive with other energy sources. Whether technological improvement, or demand, is the chicken or the egg, I’m not sure… But for one reason or another, PVs, sun-tracking systems, energy storage and transmission systems are making leaps and bounds in efficiency.

So, even on a typical (sorry to say it - but miserable) British day, solar energy systems are able to capture the sun’s energy and turn it into something useful for us little ants down here on planet earth. Amazing stuff, isn’t it? On top of all of this, devices themselves are also becoming more efficient. LED street lights for example, are quickly replacing the old run-of-the-mill HPS lamps, cutting public lighting energy demand by up to 80%.

This all means that some pretty cool changes are happening in the public realm. For example, I was impressed by this (right) pretty standard-looking bin in Wales recently - which turned out to be not-so-standard after all! Using solar energy to compact the garbage inside, the need for garbage collection is dramatically reduced. This saves the authorities money and cuts CO2 emissions.

Nifty little technological advancements like these are helping to create an energy efficient urban future.

Zocalo: Building community one cuppa at a time.

In September, residents of Brighton, UK, took to their pavements and set up chairs, tables and games, and all in the name of community - to meet new neighbours and make new friends. It's part of an initiative called Zocalo, a term originating from Mexico, that encourages human interaction in public space.

Read more about this great placemaking project via This Big City here.  

Image courtesy of Cara Courage.  

From motorway to pedestrian and cycleway: the banks of the River Seine in Paris

Along the banks of the River Seine, Paris has a new public space project worthy of its UNESCO World Heritage site status – Project Les Berges. With this, Paris now dedicates four kilometres of prime real-estate along the Seine as a public park and pedestrian/ cycling zone. In 2012, the first stage of the project commenced.  Circa 1.5 kilometres of the motorway alongthe river’s right bank were narrowed (the Georges-Pompidou Riverside Expressway), calming traffic and making way for green spaces, riverside walkways, bars and cafés.  This coincided with the renovation of Hôtel-de-Ville Square (City Hall), enhancing the appeal of the river bank and providing city explorers a place to stroll along the river, gazing upon Paris’s most famous monuments.  As of late June 2013, the project is complete. An additional 2.3 kilometres on the river’s left bank (between Musée d’Orsay and Pont de L’Alma) have been devoted to pedestrians and cyclists. With a car ban in place, the left bank’s waterfront now consists of a floating green house and park space, a skate-park, a kids' climbing wall, a performing arts school, cafés and bars, an edible garden with seasonal vegetables, temporary exhibition spaces – and plenty of room for lounging along the river on a warm summer evening. (Tried, tested and approved!)  The river banks are designed around several major themes: nature, culture, sport and recreation, and youth.  For example, as part of the Paris Biodiversity Plan, the redevelopment will bring nature back to the urban core.

Les Berges aims to provide a space for all ages and interests groups to freely mingle with each other. Having read about the project previously, and written about it on my own blog, I was eager to explore.  Wandering slowly along the left bank on a sunny Parisian evening, crossing under six bridges, stopping for a drink and discovering the different themed areas of the park, I can honestly say  Les Berges exceeded all expectations and I have a new love for this magic city.   This 40 million EUR project is the birth child of Bertrand Delanoë, Socialist Party Mayor of Paris since 2001, who promised to replace this major automotive artery and return the river banks to the people. Delanoë has announced that he will not stand for re-election in 2014. This project then represents an important part of his legacy, as the mayor who broke Paris’s love affair with the automobile. During his tenure, Delanoë has expanded cycle routes and cycling infrastructure, improved public spaces and introduced the city's famous and successful short-term (electric) car and bike-sharing schemes. The Vélib bike-sharing scheme is considered one of the most successful and well-replicated city bike-sharing schemes to date.  Already a decade ago, Delanoë began with strategies to limit car use in Paris, introducing an annual "urban beach" along the Seine, the Paris Plages project.  Each summer, sand, potted palm-trees and beach chairs are brought in – Paris’s own version of the Mediterranean Coast.  This strategy has been mimicked by other land-locked European cities, whose urban residents cannot always afford a coastal summer holiday, or in any case enjoy a bit of sun on a lunch break.

The left bank of the Les Berges project has quickly become a Parisian highlight. Perhaps like the urban beach, Vélib, or the floating swimming pool, Les Berges represents another idea worthy of imitation.  Want to know more? Check out Les Berges website or calendar of events. Articles were also written by The Guardian and the New York Times.  These articles however, were written in 2012 – featuring the space still with cars.  For comparison, I have more photos on my own blog and can vouch from experience: certainly an improvement over the motorway!

All images: Jennifer Lenhart

Les Berges spans the space of 6 bridges on the left bank of the Seine - all dedicated to pedestrians & cyclists. Many bridges also feature sound instillations - and a bit of shade, perfect for the summer heat.

Near Port de Solferino, you can rent a container – either for dinner with friends, a short rest or to enjoy the varied garden spaces. Called ‘ZZZ‘- rest and relaxation are required, even in the heart of Paris!

From 19 June - 15 September, Les Berges will feature its own skateboard ramp & roller sports park, welcoming skateboards, BMX, roller blades and kick scooters.

Académie Fratellini’ School of Circus Arts practicing by the river

Adding a personal touch...

Great design? I’ll drink to that.

I got pretty drunk last night. Heading home from an amazing a concert at Somerset House, a friend and I cruised about looking for a final nightcap. Finally, looking through some large windows we seemed to find what looked to be a pretty jovial little establishment. Perfect.

I don’t typically drink in central, nor do I typically drink in the type of place that sells a drink called ‘corn dog smash’ or ‘damson in distress’, but I’ve got to say, this place may have converted me. Put simply, I was absolutely blown away by the beautiful interiors of this place. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a design expert. I could probably count the number of times I’ve even noticed nice interiors, let alone wanted to write about them.

I’m generally not a big fan of large-scale hospitality chains. This is for two reasons; firstly, they tend to swallow up local business, and secondly, they all look and feel the same.

Justin Hemmes’ bars across Sydney are a perfect example of how one man can profit on the processes of gentrification, while at the same time sterilizing a long history of unique and interesting drinking venues. While he tries to make each of his bars feel different, in reality it kind of feels like walking into an IKEA catalogue. As far as I’m concerned, they were much more interesting with beer stained carpets.

I noticed last night was something a little different. While I guess you could say that the The Happenstance Bar was ‘kitchy’, it definitely hadn’t used ‘cookie-cutter’ design techniques.

Industrial steels, reclaimed timber floors, pendant lights and a refined colour scheme, the place had a particularly distinct character that made it look, well… really, really cool. Don't get me wrong; it wasn’t the sort of pretentious high-design venue with expensive drinks and uncomfortable chairs. It was astonishingly stylish, incredible comfortable and considering it was sitting next to St Paul’s, the drinks were nicely priced.

This got me thinking. Over the past decade or so we seem to have seen a general cheapening of graphic design, photography, interiors and architecture as people save costs by using in-house multifaceted designers or deploy faster methods of design. Last night revealed to me that perhaps rather from being dead, good quality design is making a comeback.

People are becoming bored with the stock-standard. We’re seeing cafes like Starbucks face boycotts, we’re seeing a return to localism and place making and now, perhaps, a return to beautiful buildings and interiors.

I was also impressed to discover that Drake and Morgan had contracted smaller, local firms Fusion and Architecture Ltd for the design of The Happenstance.

Who’d have thought that my night of drinking not only converted me to some sort of interiors fanatic, ‘damson in distress’ drinker, but now I’m also applauding a large hospitality group… At the end of the day, it’s important to give credit, where credit is due.

Good design doesn't need to be expensive; it just needs to be holistic and thoughtful. Will other venues follow the lead? Will good quality design making a comeback?

I, for one, truly hope so.

Image source: The Happenstance

Image source: The Happenstance

Image source: The Happenstance

Image source: The Happenstance

Image source: The Happenstance

Take a Dip on the Seine

Europe is heating up. Summer temperatures have finally arrived, bringing with it blue skies and sunshine. Green spaces look like festival grounds, farmer’s markets are bustling and the streets are packed with happy pedestrians. However, finding public spaces to cool down can be difficult, especially in large urban areas.

While the Right Bank of Paris’ Seine River gets turned into temporary beaches, it does not provide relief from the searing summer heat. Even more frustrating is the fact that Paris has a body of water running through the city center. Although it is not possible to swim in the Seine, it is possible to swim on it.

Image Courtesy of Secrets of Paris

The Piscine Josephine Baker is a glass-walled swimming pool that has been built on a barge docked on the banks of the Seine. The pool provides residents the ability to cool off in an architecturally stunning facility inspired by The Jetsons. Furthermore, the pool uses efficient water management procedures. Water from the Seine is collected and treated at Piscine Josephine Baker. It is then chlorinated and stored for use. Water is eventually returned to the river following a final treatment.

While many Parisians flock to the Mediterranean to escape the summer heat, Piscine Josephine Baker is providing an alternative way to cool off without actually leaving the city.

Left Image Courtesy of Ma Vie a Paris, Right Image Courtesy of Paris.fr

Cycling Superhighways Take Off

​LA's 1892 private Cycling Superhighway. Source: Motherboard

Cycling superhighways are nothing new. Even LA, one of the most congested, car-dominated cities in the world had schemes to implement this idea all the way back in the 1890s. The idea is simple. A Cycling Superhighway is a cycle path wide enough and safe enough for everyone, regardless of age, gender, physical ability or cycling skills, to be able wherever they want and whenever they want. Different to the Dutch-style segregated lanes that are popping up in inner areas of NYC, London and Sydney, Superhighways act to transport high capacities of people moving at different speeds, into the inner city. Much like an arterial road serves a collector road, a Cycling Superhighway serves a lower capacity traditional bike path.

One of ​London's new Barclays Superhighways. Source: London24

The Netherlands and Denmark have adopted Superhighways in a big way, and now the trend seems to be spreading global. London has been hard at work installing the first of 12 Barclays Superhighways, and has recently just unveiled its 15 miles (24 km) “Bicycle Crossrail”. Similarly, Bogota in Colombia has created the CicloRuta, a 300 km network of 3-4 metre wide bi-directional protected cycles highways across the city, linking with pedestrian boulevards. 

Resistance to Cycle Superhighways has been fierce in London, but its benefits are unquestionable. Not only do they improve the health of commuters and provide relief in congestion on roads, but they also provide relief to high-capacity rail networks. London's first Superhighway was installed to relive congestion on the Tube's Northern Line. In addition to all of this, research has demonstrated that cycle paths not only increase the value of adjacent houses, but also local business trade. It’s no wonder local authorities are trying to see how they can adopt this model as quickly as possible.

One of the many Cycling Superhighways in Copenhagen. Source: Creative Commons: Flickr/grapfapan

Would free internet on public transport keep you happy?

On recent visits to European cities I'm now seeing far more of something than I did two or three years ago. That something is free internet on public transport, from wifi on buses in Copenhagen to wifi on the London underground. ​This is mainly a product of our increasingly digital lives and the desire to be 'connected' at all times. People want to be able to use their commute time to do business, email colleagues, connect with friends via social media, or just be entertained with videos, music and other media. But does this mean it should be free? Does the City have an obligation to provide this service for commuters? If so, why not just go all out and provide free public transport? (This seems a slightly absurd idea, but it's actually something currently being trialled in Tallinn, Estonia). What does the City gain from a scheme like this?

Free bus internet, ​Copenhagen - Image courtesy of Billy Haworth

There is probably an argument for the environment and climate change, with cities wanting to reduce the impact of auto-mobiles. But researching a little into the cities providing this service leads to the conclusion that the main drive behind free internet on public transport is customer satisfaction. Trials, surveys and pilot programs have been undertaken in a number of cities (E.g. Lisbon, Rome, Copenhagen, Dublin) with results all emphasising the need to improve passenger's travel perception. 

Scotland's Transport Minister said of Scotland's train wifi program:
“A major challenge for the transport industry is embracing new technologies to meet the demands of passengers and help them get on with their ever more busy lives while travelling. It is essential that people throughout Scotland have online access to enable our economy to thrive".

Danish rail company DSB state that free internet allows the train driver to continuously monitor various aspects of the trains performance and passengers to log on using laptops and smart phones, but outline being able to provide passengers with up to date information as the most beneficial outcome:
"The state-owned rail operator decided to equip all metropolitan S-trains in Denmark’s capital Copenhagen with wireless internet after a study revealed that real-time traffic information was the number one request among its daily 220,000 passengers". 

rom the City's point of view it seems the main reason for free internet on public transport is to keep the citizens happy, and isn't that the City's main obligation? Perhaps with our modern digital lifestyle's free internet should be provided by the City. I'm not willing to go as far as saying it's their obligation, but I do think this trend will continue and more cities will be expected to offer free public transport wifi to keep their citizens 'happy'. Although, it seems this isn't what every citizen wants, and I'll leave you now with a quote from an online-commenter on Scotland's railway internet.

"Is there no escape. First it was idiots barking in brick-sized cellphjones in the 80s, then phones beep beeping all the time as TTTXXTTSS were snt 2 ol nd sndry ol t bldy tm, now we have computers being tap tapped, music played on them and always more noise. long haul flights used to be an oasis of calm but now they can use their phones and computers you might as well be at work. take a seat, look out the window, read the paper, chat to your fellow passengers, never mind Twitterbook, Face thingy or any of that antisocial netowrk rubbish, GET A LIFE"

Finding New Uses for Old Infrastructure

​Image Courtsey of Gizmodo

​Infrastructure is a vital component within the urban fabric. Cities are constantly investing, retrofitting and building infrastructure. So what happens when a piece of infrastructure is no longer needed?

​Image Courtesy of Gizmodo 

As biking and public transit become more popular modes of transit, the prevalence of the individual car is declining. Consequently, the need for gas stations is starting to diminish. Instead of demolishing these forms of infrastructure, cities are rethinking the way these public spaces can be used. 

A New Orleans resident converted an abandoned gas station into his own living space. In London, a filling station along Regent’s Canal was converted into a sleek and stylish restaurant. 

But the most recent project to modify these outdated pieces of infrastructure is coming out of Amsterdam. Sophie Valla Architects saved several decaying gas stations from being demolished. Seeing the potential for these spaces as communal gathering places, the design firm thought it was vital to save them.

Now the stations are a permanent light sculpture. LED lights are installed on the station’s roofs, lighting up the plaza where locals gather. The light shows have been designed to convey 20 different Dutch weather scenarios. The end product is a gas station that you actually want to spend time in. 

Sustainability Innovation: Algae Powered Building in Hamburg

​Image Courtesy of Inhabit

The push for sustainable, green initiatives is manifesting across global cities. From Sydney’s green walls to Rotterdam’s solar power roof, the desire to provide innovative solutions to environmental concerns is becoming more and more apparent.

​Germany, a world leader in renewable energy, has set a goal to obtain 35% of its energy supply from renewables by 2020. As a result, some groundbreaking projects are coming out of this country. 

The most recent example is a residential building that obtains power from algae-filled walls. That’s right- a residential building in Hamburg gets its energy supply from panels lining the building that are filled with algae.

The building collects water, nutrients and carbon dioxide, converting these elements into biogas, which is then burned in a boiler.  Algae will not only generate energy, but also control the light inflow and shading of the building. Consequently, the façade will constantly be in motion and changing color. This revolutionary building is changing the way the built environment, architecture, and renewable energy can have in shaping the concept of sustainability. 

Amsterdam: historic connections to food revitalized through modern urban agricultural initiatives

While traditionally food provision was considered a rural (and not an urban) issue, this is changing. City planners, architects, school teachers, restaurant owners, NGOs and urban dwellers are eager to re-define the buzz around ‘local food’ – so local it may be grown on your roof, balcony, backyard or city park.  (My balcony is full of carrots, tomatoes, beans, peas, radishes, peppers, spinach, salads, pumpkins, courgette, strawberries and a variety of herbs – I can barely wait for the summer sun to hit the European continent!)

Historically, the relationship between cities and their hinterland was strong, as Carolyn Steel points out in her book, the Hungry City.  Cities like Amsterdam, London or Paris were dependent on grains, vegetables, fish or meat entering the city at different points; even today the names of certain streets or districts are distinguished by their former roles. With the invention of motorized transport, food could be shipped from further afield, severing a city’s link to its immediate periphery. Today, cities host food choices from across the globe; cultural restaurants, specialty stores and markets feed an increasingly diverse population with a nuanced pallet. While variety has benefits, it also has consequences – almost half of food is wasted, industrial agriculture has led to soil and biodiversity loss, as well as increased fossil fuel dependence (fertilizers, transport, etc.)

As a result, city planners now take food more seriously; in part because of several complex and interlinked issues: food pricing surges, food security concerns, climate change, land conflicts, rapid urbanization and health consequences (e.g. obesity). Cities are adopting urban food policies under the banners of public health, social justice or sustainability (keeping in mind a sense of ‘cosmopolitan localism’ combining locally-produced seasonal food together with fairly-traded global commodities). Toronto, New York, Seattle and San Francisco lead the way in North America, while London and Amsterdam push the charge in Europe.

In Amsterdam, the city’s food strategy has many objectives simultaneously: to re-connect the city to its regional hinterland for economic and ecological reasons, public procurement of local and regional organic food and a focus on healthy foods and lifestyles. The city also emphasizes urban agriculture in zoning plans, allotment gardens, school gardens and supporting citizen initiatives in the city – even setting up a local coordination office for urban agriculture.  While linking a city to its regional hinterland remains important (as in Amsterdam); today’s urban agriculture trend is more infused with the urban landscape, finding creative ways of growing food on rooftops, windowsills, spare pavement or vacant lots.

It is not only the local authority that has an interest in local food, however. Many organizations collaborate to change the city’s food footprint. In Amsterdam, an organization appropriately called CITIES has a distinct focus on urban agriculture and urban/ rural linkages.  They offer ‘food tours’ to explain the city’s historic food connections, map modern city farming efforts and host the Amsterdam Harvest Event, bringing local farmers and other local food initiatives together. Proef offers “pick your own lunches” in their restaurant’s garden. Cityplot offers workshops and guidance for blossoming urban farmers. Cityplot teamed up with ‘I can change the world with my two hands’ (another local urban agricultural initiative) to launch a new education garden. This education garden hosts workshops with garden beds dedicated to different farming methods, including: permaculture, biodynamic farming, seed saving, dye plants, wild herbs and edible flowers– all with an urban twist. Meanwhile, a local urban agricultural shop, called Access to Tools, just opened up in Amsterdam – selling (urban) farming equipment and soon, the city’s blossoming harvest.

These are just a few of many urban agricultural and food initiatives underway in Amsterdam. While the winter has been long this year on the European continent and the growing season only now underway, many of us are eager of what lies ahead! Want to know more about local food culture in Amsterdam? I often write about the subject on my own blog.

​Planting the biodynamic bed, April 2013

Amsterdam Education Garden

​Amsterdam West garden space, September 2012

Plot run by "I can change the world with my two hands"​

Cityplot composting with worms workshop

​Proef Restaurant's edible garden

Amsterdam has a biodynamic goat farm where animals roam free during the days and local organic/ biodynamic vegetables are grown. Children (and adults) are welcome to feed & play with the animals - reconnecting urbanites to the food cycle.

Something to be proud of: Menningarnótt, Reykjavík.

​Harpa with Culture Night closing fireworks. Image - http://www.austurhofn.is

​Menningarnótt or ‘culture night’ is an annual ​festival held in the capital of Iceland, Reykjavík. Created by the Reykjavík city council in 1996, Culture Night is held every August and focuses on all things cultural, from music and arts to food and traditions. It is estimated that around 100,000 people attend the event each year, which is a staggering number when you consider the total population of the whole of Iceland is only just over 300,000. The day starts with the running of the annual marathon, and slowly the streets fill with people enjoying local delights. There are several outdoor stages with live music playing well into the night, craft and art making on offer, Icelandic food samples, longer opening hours for museums and bars, and an exciting fireworks display to end the evening. In addition to the main music stages there are musicians playing all over the city. When you wander down the main commercial strip in Reykjavík, Laugavegur, you are confronted with a blissful blend of sights, sounds and smells. Things are happening everywhere. As you walk along, just as the sound of one musician fades away, you can already hear another around the corner. And away from the main strip it continues. At Culture Night in 2011 I found a musician friend of mine, Myrra Ros, playing down to the street from the balcony of her townhouse. I then joined her has she proceeded to also play down at the harbour, in a café, and in a book store, all in one afternoon! The talent is great, and if you’re lucky you may even catch some of the stars of the future.

​Inside Harpa, Culture Night 2011. Image - Billy Haworth

​Of Monsters and Men, 2011. Image - Billy Haworth

But what is this event actually for, and why is it so popular? Iceland already has a day to celebrate its national day, a hugely popular gay pride event, and a world-famous music festival each year, Iceland Airwaves. What could Menningarnóttin possibly be offering that these other successful events do not?

For me, the answer is city pride. Culture Night is not just a group or organisers running events. It is a whole city involved and embracing their unique culture. Obviously tourism is a factor and many businesses may benefit with increased profits, but the vast majority of the events and activities are free! It feels much more like a festival run for Icelanders by Icelanders. They are proud of their culture, both their heritage and traditions, and their modern way of living and creative lifestyles. This day allows them to ‘show off’ a bit. It encourages a sense of community, of togetherness and prosperity, and highlights the vast diversity of what is happening in the city each year. Icelanders are particularly proud people, and why shouldn't they be? While relatively small in size, Reykjavík is a beautiful modern city rich in cultural diversity, and I think a day to feel good about that is more than appropriate. I think it’s a fantastic initiative by the Reykjavík City Council and one I hope continues long into the future. I'm sure there are other examples of similar events in cities around the world, but I found Menningarnóttin a really unique experience. I’d like to see cities offer more cultural events like this for their people, even if just to be proud. If you know of anything similar going on in your city let us know!

Laugavegur, Culture Night 2011. Image - Billy Haworth

Snapshot of the Bicycle Renaissance

​Boris Johnson. Mayor and cyclist. Source: Press Association

Bikes are the talk of the town these days, and for good reason. Their renewed surge in popularity has been immense. The number of commuter cyclists in NYC has doubled over the last five years; Italy has recently recorded that bike sales have surpassed car sales for the first time since WWII; and for the first time in decades, a London borough (Hackney) has recorded that more people cycle to work (15%) than drive (12%). But this isn’t all just a fad. To prove my point, I’d like to give you a brief snapshot of some of the amazing things happening across the globe in terms of bicycle infrastructure…

Since you’re reading the Europe section of Trending City, I’d better start with the UK…

​King Street, Sydney. Image: Peter Rae

London mayor Boris Johnson last week announced that the city will invest about £1 billion into cycling infrastructure over the next decade (with most being spent in the next few years). Yep, £1 billion! That’s a lot of money. So what’s actually happening? In addition to further investment into the Barclays Bikes Scheme (‘Boris Bikes’), 80,000 new cycle parking spaces are to be added, new cycle routes will be built, public pumps will be installed, junctions will be redesigned and signage improved. And perhaps the most exciting thing in my opinion is investment into new Cycle Superhighways, similar to those in Copenhagen. These will not only give cyclists the opportunity to cover large distances at fast speeds without the hassle of private vehicle congestion, but will also help link up some of London’s more deprived outer boroughs into the inner city cycling network.

​The Hangzhou Scheme has taken off in a big way. Source: HZZXC

When I used to think of the United States, I’d think of the most car-dominated, sprawled and un-cycle-friendly streets in the world. But that perception too seems to be changing. New data from the Dept of Transportation has revealed that the number of people riding to work has increased by about 40% over the last decade alongside large investments into cycling infrastructure by both the Federal government and local authorities. Between 2007 and late 2011 over 350 kilometres of bikes lanes were been built in NYC. Although contested (parking, access for the elderly, pedestrian safety, cycle speeds, etc), these lanes mark a massive shift in culture towards a new cycling culture within the city. And it doesn’t look to be slowing; the Citigroup bike share scheme set to open next month will include 600 docking stations across the city.

Although once the “bicycle kingdom”, when most news sources report on mobility in Chinese cities, it’s all about rising congestion due to the growing dominance of the car. But in truth, most Chinese cities still have very high rates of cycling by world standards. And rather than rushing for a petrol-addiction as many western nations did in the 60s, it appears that China could actually, once again, be falling in love with the bike. Not only is it once again fashionable to ride a bike in Chinese cities, but China’s new bike share programs are now the largest in the world. The Hangzhou Program is expected to increase from 2,800 bikes in 2008 to 175,000 by 2020.

And now, let’s take a look at what’s happening in Australia. Following the US model for sprawled cities and car dominance, Australia has had required the help of some bold politicians to get the ball (...or wheel) rolling. Sydney’s Clover Moore has been highly proactive by building a new cycling network, as well as investing heavily into a marketing campaign to get people on two wheels. The process to alter dangerous road networks has seen some great infrastructure planning from both the public and private sectors. Landscape architecture firm Spackman Mossop and Michaels have given us a look at some of their really inspiring recent projects, which you can check out here. While helmet laws are holding back bike sharing systems in many Australian cities, Melbourne and Brisbane have taken the leap to show that the massive growth in bike sharing, is not just a northern hemisphere trend.

This quick glimpse at what’s happening around the world, proves that the latest cycling movement is not all just about hipsters on fixies. Rather, it’s all part of a much more long-term global move to create more sustainable and efficient urban areas. So, with that said, ride on!

High street shopping: a globalised landscape

Riding the bus through central London recently it struck me how repetitive many of the commercial streets are. A product of globalisation, much of the shops you see are identical to those you saw two streets over; big stores and big brands. But what about the small shops and local businesses that once lined these streets? Has the (relatively) recent emergence of malls had an impact on the culture of traditional high street shopping in London?

Malls grew out of shopping arcades and by the 1960s the first 100+ store ‘mega malls’ were beginning to open in places like North America. Today malls are even bigger, with the West Edmonton mall in Canada housing some 800+ stores, and even bigger malls planned for Dubai and parts of SE Asia. But why the mall? They offer convenience and a ‘one-stop-shop’ atmosphere. They have a variety of different stores and items all in one place, often with much better mobility and parking facilities than high streets can provide. They often include entertainment elements such as cinemas, bowling alleys, and prize giveaways, and the food courts also provide a place to fuel up. In suburbia they can be a kind of town-centre for places without a town-centre. Perhaps we like to escape to the comfort of a climate-less, place-less space that we know will be almost identical wherever we are?

In London two large scale malls have opened in the late 2000s under the Westfield brand; one in White City, and one in Stratford East. In London terms these areas are practically binary opposites. One is west; one is east. One is rich; one is (historically) poorer. One has a more international population, and one contains more Londoners. And yet, when you step inside the Westfield mall you would almost be unable to tell which one you were in, and perhaps even unable to recognise yourself as being in London. The same aesthetic meets your eye, the same sounds and smells meet your ears and nose, and the same shops and products are on offer. And that is their appeal. They are identifiably and comfortably essentially the same.

I think this influence in shopping culture is partly to blame for the change in London high streets. This idea of the convenience of the ‘same’ being accessible on every street has allowed the big stores and big brands to dominate.  But I see a fight-back coming. I think this globalised mall-type shopping is bland and artificial. I think people like the diversity of shops, they like supporting small business, and perhaps even prefer wandering around the long high streets to the ‘convenience’ of the shopping centre (which can also involve lots of walking anyway!). High streets are more intimate, more local, and more ‘authentic’, and particularly fitting for a city as diverse as London.  The recent closing down of HMV stores in England is a sign of things changing.  Perhaps a move away from globalised shopping is coming, and a more localised landscape is set to return. Perhaps in the modern city a hybrid of the two is the kind of shopping environment we can expect; something ‘glocalised,’ if you will. I hope London’s high streets don’t lose their soul, and I think this is definitely a trend worth watching. 

European cities are lighting up!

​Image courtesy The Cool Hunter

3D Projection Mapping, or Urban Projection Mapping, seems to be becoming more popular every year. It’s basically a motion graphics technique that involves taking footage of a building’s facade, editing the clip in post-production with special effects and projecting the edited footage directly onto its original source.

Only really beginning in the early 2000s for the use in music concerts (Gorillaz and Madonna at the 2007 European MTV Awards), the technique has become popular for advertisements and art shows across the world. Advertisers have become well aware of the urban projection mapping trend, having hired video artists to present their wares to the world (see Amsterdam H&M store opening right).

It’s also taken off as a place marketing tool for cities to show off their greatest buildings and landmarks, as well as a campaign mechanism to convey particular messages. The Festival of Lights in Ghent, Belgium, uses the display to achieve both of these things... Low level LED lights to illustrate how energy savings can be made, and the 5 kilometre walking light tour of the city also acts to show off some of its most beautiful buildings and monuments. By far the biggest attraction of the event, The LED Cathedral mixes Romanesque and Renaissance architecture with glowing rainbow ornamentation. It stands 91 feet tall at its peak and is made of 55,000 LED lights. With funding coming from both city councils and private enterprise, this trend seems to be taking off across the continent.

With so many cool possibilities for more interactive/fun/interesting cities, the rise of 3D Projection Mapping also raises some interesting questions about advertising in public spaces and the role of governments in managing what is essentially just, well, light. Just because it can't be 'touched', does that make it a non-invasive means of advertising? While I love the idea of a little more colour ad interactivity in the city, I'm not too keen on being bombarded with advertisements everywhere I go! None-the-less it'll be fascinating to see how light festivals and urban projection mapping techniques are utilised in the future. In the mean time, light shows are a great way to enjoy a beer and explore a city, so be sure to check one out!​

Hamburg, Germany. Photo courtesy ​urbanscreen.com

​Ghent, Belgium. Photo courtesy Adrian Pennington